ICE raids across major US cities fall short of expectations but fear remains

July 14, 2019

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Scott Olson/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- President Donald Trump’s vow to launch a nationwide deportation sweep fell short of expectations on Sunday, with only a small number of operations that appeared to fall closer in line with routine enforcement.

While the effort seems to have been downgraded -- or perhaps just delayed -- immigrant communities across the U.S. were still on red alert.

Jorge-Mario Cabrera with the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, or CHIRLA, in Los Angeles told ABC News' Clayton Sandell that most of the calls the organization has received are people inquiring about their legal rights and that most reports of ICE vans in the city turned out to be unfounded.

The fear though among many undocumented immigrants is that the Trump administration has merely delayed the raids, which could happen Monday when people return to work.

"If the president wanted to hold communities hostage, he’s done a very good job," Cabrera said.

Greg Chen, head of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said community organizations were expecting the threat of raids to last through Friday.

"This is by no means over yet," he said.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Sunday declined to disclose any arrest numbers and referred reporters to a prior statement that declined to offer details "due to law-enforcement sensitivities."

Federal immigration officers were initially scheduled to sweep across 10 cities on Sunday, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Denver, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Baltimore, Chicago and Atlanta, to arrest about 2,000 undocumented immigrants with final removal orders, the Trump administration announced.

Elected officials and advocates took to social media to assure residents of the resources available to them.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted to those who may be affected to remember that they have rights.

Receiving reports of attempted but reportedly unsuccessful ICE enforcement actions in Sunset Park and Harlem.@NYCImmigrants and advocates are connecting with residents and distributing resources door to door.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti posted a video Saturday stating that the city was not coordinating with ICE's efforts.

Receiving reports of attempted but reportedly unsuccessful ICE enforcement actions in Sunset Park and Harlem.@NYCImmigrants and advocates are connecting with residents and distributing resources door to door.

Receiving reports of attempted but reportedly unsuccessful ICE enforcement actions in Sunset Park and Harlem.@NYCImmigrants and advocates are connecting with residents and distributing resources door to door.

Pete Buttigieg, presidential hopeful and mayor of South Bend, Indiana, tweeted that the raids were designed to "tear families apart" and further Trump's "extreme agenda."

Today, as many gather to hear Sunday messages about our responsibility to welcome the stranger, this president is carrying out ICE raids designed to tear families apart, divide our communities, and further his extreme agenda. #ICEraids will not make us safer—time for real reform.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee told ABC News Live on Saturday that state officials were monitoring the proposed raids "very carefully" and that they would "vigorously defend the rights of anyone" in the state.

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar said the Trump administration announced the raids to "make news" and scare the public.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar says warnings about ICE raids are "about scaring everyone" and "changing the news" and not about security as claimed.

"If you wanted to go after security risks, and there are people who are security risks, why would you alert them and say you're doing this on a Sunday and do it two weekends in a row?" Klobuchar asked ABC News' Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl on "This Week" on Sunday. "Why? Because you want to make news, right?"

Sen. Amy Klobuchar says warnings about ICE raids are "about scaring everyone" and "changing the news" and not about security as claimed.

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Bottoms appeared on CNN over the weekend, asking people in fear of deportation to stay in or travel in groups.

The ACLU and other immigration advocacy groups advised residents to assert their rights.

The Constitution protects passengers deplaning domestic flights just as it protects people on the street or in a car. CBP is bound by those protections.

San Francisco is and always stand up for our immigrant residents. With possible ICE enforcement happening this weekend, we want our entire community to be prepared and know their rights. Call the @sfilenetwork SF Rapid Response 24hr hotline to report ICE activity: 415- 200-1548 pic.twitter.com/d2fwJAsoiu

On Sunday, ICE urged jurisdictions in California and other sanctuary locations to cooperate to "keep foreign criminals off of our streets," tweeting that "communities are safer when law enforcement agencies work together."

Communities are safer when law enforcement agencies work together, and ICE continues to urge jurisdictions in California and other sanctuary locations to find ways to work with ICE to keep foreign criminals off of our streets.

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